I laughed reading FBI Director Robert Mueller refer to the release of terminally ill convicted Lockerbie bomber Ali al-Megrahi ''as inexplicable as it is detrimental to the cause of justice. Indeed [Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill’s] action makes a mockery of the rule of law.''
Now I can think of many countries that Mueller’s statement could be directed toward, but never would I have guessed Scotland. Surely, Mueller must have been thinking of more egregious acts of Scottish injustice than compassionate release.
Perhaps Scotland has innocent
people on death row?
Nope. Capital punishment was completely abolished
for all offenses in 1998. The last execution was carried out in
1964.
Can you face life imprisonment for shoplifting in
Edinburgh?
Surprisingly, no. The United States is actually a real
trailblazer on this one.
What about other instances (besides compassionate release) of Scotland making a mockery of the rule of law?
I searched high and low for Scottish acts of torture, murder, extraordinary rendition, and indefinite detention (post Scottish Enlightenment).
Nothing.
On what island in the North Sea does Scotland hold detainees for years without trial?
See what I’m getting at?
Mueller needs to focus on cleaning his own backyard before complaining about the neighbor’s.
In light of new revelations on CIA interrogations and the Justice Department announcing an investigation into their practice, Mueller's comments are now even more comical.
We can learn from Scotland. Namely that the law applies equally to all, even a terrorist.
